Order of the Royal Teardrop
by Little Masa-ouki
Summary: Co-written with Davner: Ayeka! Dainty princess by day, cold blooded ninja by night?!


Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo and all it's characters are property of AIC and Pioneer.  
I am making no money off of this, so please don't sue, or sic your ninja's on me.  
  
Note: The basic concept of this, as well as approximately half of the text, belongs to  
Dav. However, since he has left the realm of Tenchi fic writing, he has given the fic to me, after some prompting. It went sorta like this.  
  
Little Masa-ouki: Hey Dav!  
Davner: Hey Masa  
LMO: Remember that Order of the Royal Teardrop fic you were gonna write?  
Dav: Yeah?  
LMO: I really think you should finish it.  
Dav: If you like it so much, than you finish it.  
LMO: Okay  
Dav: *blink* Really?  
  
  
  
Order of the Royal Teardrop  
  
  
"Grandpa! This is a joke, right?! You've got to be kidding! I can't fight   
*her*!" Tenchi pointed his boken across the usual training circle at the woman his   
grandfather had asked to help train him.  
  
Ayeka held a similar boken by the blade and looked to Katsuhito. "Am I   
holding it right, Brother?"  
  
"You're doing fine, Ayeka," Katsuhito told her. He turned to Tenchi.   
"Now, Tenchi, you have learned much from me, but a true swordsman realizes that he   
never stops learning and can benefit from studying other forms."  
  
"Yeah, but..."  
  
"And you do have that kendo tournament in Tokyo coming up."  
  
"Sure, but..."  
  
"Good! Now *fight*!"  
  
Tenchi faced off with his grandfather. "But I could really hurt her!"  
  
"Then why aren't you?!" Katsuhito demanded.  
  
"It's okay, Tenchi!" Ayeka said with a smile. "If it will help you train,   
I'm glad to help." She sighed and turned to Katsuhito. "Brother, this boken is   
heavy. Do you have a lighter one?"  
  
"You've got to be kidding me!" Tenchi cried.  
  
"Tenchi! FIGHT!"  
  
Tenchi sighed. "Okay..." He started walking calmly toward Ayeka, raising   
his boken and planning to merely tap her on the shoulder.  
  
What happened next surprised the hell out of him.  
  
"KI-YAH!"  
  
"HUH?!"  
  
Tenchi soon found himself swept off his feet as Ayeka ducked and spun,   
lashing out with her foot in a leg sweep. Tenchi flew for about a second, then hit   
the ground with a loud "THUD!"  
  
He blinked and gagged as something began pressing on his throat. He looked   
up and found Ayeka kneeling over him! Her knee was pressed against his throat as she   
stared down at him.  
  
"First rule of engaging the enemy," she said calmly, "Appearance is   
*NOTHING*!"  
  
Tenchi gagged again, and Ayeka stood up. He looked up in shock as he tried   
to catch his breath. "Ho...Ho...How!?"  
  
Ayeka smiled and bowed to him, then bowed to Katsuhito.  
  
Katsuhito turned to Tenchi. "Tenchi, my aunt is the commander of the Royal   
Bodyguard. Do you honestly think she would allow her daughter to wander all   
over the universe without teaching her to defend herself?"  
  
Tenchi blinked in awe as Ayeka giggled.  
  
  
  
700 Years Earlier...  
  
  
  
"Mother, do I *really* have to do this?"  
  
Misaki glared at her daughter and cleared her throat.  
  
Ayeka sighed. "Mommy, is this *really* necessary?"  
  
Misaki's glare softened, and she smiled. "If you truly insist on going   
after Katsuhito, I want to know that you're safe!"  
  
"But I already have Ryu-Oh, and my guardians! And you and Ms. Atara have   
already taught me so much!"  
  
"Then this little test should be a piece of cake!" Misaki assured  
her. She held up a hand holding three throwing stars. "CATCH!" She flung  
them at her daughter with one swipe!  
  
Ayeka backflipped twice catching one of the stars every time she landed.   
She back flipped again and held up the last star, secure between her   
fingers.  
  
Off to one side, a woman in a navy blue robe turned to Misaki. "She can   
learn no more from us. The Sisterhood of the Royal Teardrop is proud to   
acknowledge her as one of our own."  
  
Misaki clapped her hands in joy. "THAT'S MY LITTLE GIRL!!"  
  
Ayeka smiled and returned the throwing stars to her mother. "Anything that  
will help me find Katsuhito..."  
  
  
  
The Present...  
  
  
  
"What?!" Tenchi cried out.  
  
Ayeka calmly sipped her tea as the three of them sat at the small table in   
Katsuhito's shrine. "Yes. It's something every princess goes through. Sasami  
will have to learn soon, and if I'm going to teach her, I need to make sure   
my skills are still sharp."  
  
"But...How come we haven't seen any of this before?"  
  
Ayeka smiled at him. "Tenchi, part of a woman's defense is appearing   
nonbelligerent. If I had needed to use these skills before now, I would   
have."  
  
Tenchi only blinked.  
  
"Shall we try again?" she asked with a smile.  
  
  
  
"You're kidding, right?" Tenchi asked his grandfather.  
  
"Rarely will you be attacked someplace where you're ready, Tenchi,"   
Katsuhito told him. He handed his grandson the boken and pointed to the purple-haired   
woman sitting on the grass not far away, sipping tea calmly.  
  
"All right, Grandpa," Tenchi said. He took the boken and raised it.  
Ayeka had her back to him. This time he wasn't going to take any chances.  
  
He charged!  
  
He was almost there when he heard, "KIIIII-YAH!" then felt an  
intense pain in his stomach. He doubled over, but before he could hit the ground,   
someone had his arm. He cried out as this was twisted behind him.  
  
"Rule two," Ayeka said into his ear. "Approach is  
everything."  
  
"ACK!" Tenchi cried as she twisted his arm a little more.  
  
"All right, Ayeka, that's enough, I think," Katsuhito said. Ayeka  
released Tenchi who turned to find Ayeka smiling sweetly at him. "Tenchi, why don't   
you go and have some lunch?"  
  
"Y...Yeah, I'll go do that," he said. He dashed off down the path.  
  
  
  
Tenchi found himself in the kitchen where Sasami was finishing off a bowl   
of soup.  
  
"Hi, Tenchi!" Sasami cried. "Want some soup? I made enough to  
share."  
  
"Sure, Sasami," he said quietly. He sat down with a bowl and ladeled  
some lunch for himself. He sat there quietly, thinking for a moment, then...  
  
"Sasami, are you aware that your sister is...um..."  
  
"What?" Sasami asked. "Pretty?! You think Ayeka's pretty?!"  
  
"No! I mean yes! I mean...I don't mean that! I mean...Did you know that  
Ayeka is some kind of..."  
  
Sasami waited for him to finish.  
  
"Ninja?"  
  
Sasami blinked. "Oh! That!"  
  
"YOU MEAN YOU KNEW!?"  
  
"Oh, sure. Ayeka's a member of the Order of the Royal Teardrop!"  
  
Tenchi blinked.  
  
"It's like this really cool secret society for women!" Sasami said   
excitedly. "Mommy's a member too!" She turned sad for a moment.   
"They wouldn't let in Aunty Funaho because she's not Jurain..."  
  
Tenchi just shook his head in disbelief.  
  
Sasami, however, was regaining steam. "Yeah! They get to dress up and   
learn how to walk up walls! And throw knives! And flip people! And...and..." She   
trailed off. "Well...I don't know *that* much about it...I'm too young...But Mommy   
says that when I'm older, I'll be allowed to join! Ain't that great?!"  
  
Tenchi sat there in shock. "So...You *knew* Ayeka could..."  
  
"Beat you up?" Sasami asked. "Yeah."  
  
His mouth dropped.  
  
"Oh!" Sasami said, just now remembering something. "You can't tell anyone   
else! It's okay for family members to know, but they get really mad if you tell   
someone else, especially if they're not Jurain!"  
  
Tenchi wasn't listening. "Um...Sure, Sasami..."  
  
"Okay. Well, I promised Ryo-Ohki she could have the left overs, so baii!" The   
little princess grabbed the remainder of the soup and left in search of the cabbit.  
  
Tenchi didn't know what to think. Prim, proper Ayeka...a ninja? He thought   
of all the times Ayeka and Ryoko had fought. He wondered why Ayeka never tried using   
those kind of skills against her rival.  
  
"I hope she never does," Tenchi breathed.  
  
  
  
Tenchi whistled as he walked up the steps to the male side of the onsen. He   
shifted the towel to his other hand and opened the door...  
  
All he saw was a flash of purple flying down from the celing, then a great   
pain in his stomach. He hit the floor with an "oomph!" He tried to get up, but before   
he knew it, someone had taken his arm and flipped him over their shoulder into the bath   
with a splash!  
  
He blinked the water out of his eyes and saw another flash of purple streaking   
towards him. The next thing he knew, Ayeka was sitting in the water in front of him, a   
six inch tanto in her hand and at his throat.  
  
He only blinked.  
  
Ayeka sighed. "Honestly, Lord Tenchi, if you don't maintain a constant air  
of vigilance, any old assassin will be able to just walk in and kill you!"  
  
"Ayeka?!"  
  
She rose to her feet and turned demurely away with a smile and a blush. Tenchi   
noticed that during the scuffle, his robe had become undone.  
  
"ACK!" He quickly retied it and stood up. "What are you doing on the men's   
side of the bath?!"  
  
Ayeka bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Lord Tenchi, but Brother asked me to do   
this. He feels you aren't taking your training seriously enough."  
  
"So you ambush me in the bath?" Tenchi asked.  
  
She nodded and wiped a tear away. "Please forgive me, Lord Tenchi, I...I..."   
She covered her face with her hands and began to cry.  
  
Tenchi sighed. "It's okay, Ayeka," he whispered, putting a hand on her   
shoulder. "I just....Huh?!"  
  
He said this last part as Ayeka grabbed his arm and twisted it behind him.   
Her leg snaked around his and tripped him. He landed hard on his face with her on top   
of his back.  
  
She sighed. "You see?" she asked. "This is why it's so easy for that monster   
woman to get into your room! You have no sense of vigilance whatsoever!"  
  
Tenchi groaned, tears in his eyes.  
  
  
  
Tenchi crept quietly through the house, on guard against *anything*. He heard   
a board creak and turned, bringing his hands up in preparation to fight.  
  
Nothing.  
  
He sighed and continued down the hall. He walked down the stairs and turned to   
walk into the living room, checking behind him.  
  
"Hi, Tenchi!"  
  
"AUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!" he screamed and   
covered his face. He looked out and saw Ayeka and Ryoko in the living room, staring at   
him.  
  
"Something wrong, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Um...No! Nothing," he said. "What are you girls doing?" he asked.  
  
"Playing with this dart board Noboyuki brought home," Ryoko told him, hefting   
a small dart. "One of his American clients gave it to him." She threw the dart and hit   
it only half an inch from the bullseye. "Ha! Beat that, Ayeka!" Ryoko gloated.  
  
"Hmmph!" Ayeka said. "It's really quite simple, you mannerless demon.   
Observe." She lifted the dart, aimed, and threw...  
  
Striking the wall next to the board.  
  
"Oh, yeah, I can see that, your royal lowness," Ryoko said, sticking her   
tongue out.  
  
"Um...Ryoko," Tenchi began, beginning to sweat.  
  
"Hmmph! Obviously these darts are defective!" Ayeka told her.  
  
"Just admit it!" Ryoko said. "This is just one more thing you can't match me   
at." To emphaize the other things Ayeka couldn't match her at, she hefted her chest.  
  
Ayeka clenched her fists and grit her teeth.  
  
"Ryoko, please don't do that..." Tenchi warned, sweating profusely now.  
  
"Why not, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked innocently. "She's just jealous because no   
matter what she does, I can do it better."  
  
Ayeka turned red in rage.  
  
Oh my god, no... Tenchi thought, picturing Ayeka grabbing Ryoko and sliding   
a knife across her throat before the pirate could even realize what was happening.  
  
"Hmmph!" Ayeka said instead. "You only say that because *those* are the only   
things going for you!" She pointed at Ryoko's chest.  
  
"Whatever you say, Princess," Ryoko said with a smirk. "In the meantime, I   
think it's time for a nap. Good night." With that, she disappeared.  
  
Ayeka's eyes turned to Tenchi, who took a hesitant step back. The princess   
lifted another dart, turned and threw. "Oh, dear. I missed the board again," she said   
with a smile. "How clumsy of me." With that, she walked out of the room.  
  
Tenchi went to the wall and looked at the picture of the family his father had   
taken a few months ago.  
  
Ayeka's dart was imbedded right through the picture of Ryoko's face, directly   
through the pirate's eye.  
  
"Kami sama..."  
  
  
  
Tenchi yawned as he walked down the hall. He was beat. Right now, he didn't   
care if Ayeka jumped out of the closet and beat the snot out of him as long as it put   
him in an unconscious state. He had been trying to sleep for seven hours with no luck.   
He kept having dreams about Ayeka, sweet and demure one second, holding a katana and   
covered in blood the next.  
  
He stopped. "Wait a second, Tenchi," he said to himself. "It's still Ayeka.   
She just happens to have some skills you didn't now about before. It doesn't change   
who she is." He smiled and continued on.  
  
He was just passing the room Ryoko slept in when he stopped suddenly. He   
turned back and looked inside.  
  
Ryoko was sleeping soundly on her futon, snoring adorably.  
  
Oh, and Ayeka was crouched over her, dressed in black and holding a tanto at   
the demon's throat...  
  
Tenchi blinked and didn't make a sound. Ayeka looked up and saw him there.   
She stood up and stepped over to him quietly, calmly shutting Ryoko's door.  
  
"What the hell are you doing, Ayeka?!" he hissed quietly, careful not to wake   
anyone up.  
  
"Practicing," she told him. "I have to stay in top form."  
  
"How often do you do this?!" he asked.  
  
"Every night."  
  
"EVERY NIGHT!?"  
  
She nodded. "Oh, she can make as much noise as she likes about how powerful   
she is," Ayeka said with a wave, "But when it comes right down to it, I could've killed   
her the first night I arrived here."  
  
"Then why haven't you?" he asked.  
  
She smiled. "Because then I'd have no way to practice." She started back down   
the hall towards her room.  
  
Tenchi took a deep breath and began to hyperventilate. This was going too far.  
  
  
  
"Oh, come on, Tenchi!" Ryoko cried. "Ayeka!? A Jurain *ninja*!?"  
  
"It's true, Ryoko!"  
  
Ryoko laughed. "Sure it is, Tenchi. Little Miss, 'Oh, Lord Tenchi! Please   
protect me!' a Jurain ninja?! Sure!"  
  
"Ryoko, you have to believe me! I saw her last night! She was in your room   
with a knife!"  
  
The demon laughed again. "There's no way Ayeka would ever be able to get that   
close to me! I'm a light sleeper! Did Sasami put you up to this?" she asked with a   
grin.  
  
"It isn't a joke!"  
  
She patted his hand. "Of course not. I bet she's out right now, standing on a   
stump....practicing her crane kicks!" She started to laugh again at the image.  
  
Tenchi took her hand. "I can prove it! Come on!"  
  
Ryoko smiled as he held her hand. "Sure."  
  
Tenchi led her up the Shrine steps to his grandfather's home. He knew the two   
of them were there. Ayeka had told him that she had to practice with him today. He   
stopped outside a Shoji door.  
  
"Okay, Ryoko. Set your faces to 'stun.'" With that, he threw open the door!  
  
Katsuhito and Ayeka were sitting at a table, chopsticks in their hands.  
  
"Tenchi," Katsuhito began. "It's rude to interrupt someone's lunch."  
  
"Is there something wrong, Lord Tenchi?" Ayeka asked worriedly.  
  
Tenchi blinked.  
  
"See?!" Ryoko said. "Ayeka is not a ninja!"  
  
"'Ninja?!'" Ayeka asked, covering her mouth as she giggled.  
  
"Yeah, can you believe it?" Ryoko asked with a laugh.  
  
"Lord Tenchi, whatever gave the idea that I was a ninja?!"  
  
Tenchi's eyes were wide in shock. "But....You said...you did....You..."  
  
"Perhaps my grandson has been training too hard lately."  
  
"Perhaps so," Ayeka agreed.  
  
"Well, I'd love to stay and talk about throwing stars with you, but the soaps   
are coming on in a minute. Bye!" Ryoko phased out.  
  
Tenchi just stood there, unable to speak.  
  
Katsuhito and Ayeka turned back to one another. "You may resume, Ayeka,"   
he said.  
  
"Yes, Brother." She held up the chopsticks for a second, then snapped them   
together quickly. A fly was held trapped betweent hem. "Fifty two," she counted. She   
waited again. *SNAP!* "Fifty three..."  
  
Tenchi fainted.  
  
  
  
Tenchi awoke on his grandfather's futon. Neither Ayeka nor Katsuhito were in  
sight. He looked out of the window and saw that the sun was hanging low in the sky.  
He'd have to hurry if he wanted to get the farming done before dark.  
  
Tenchi chastised himself for his reaction. "Okay," He said to himself. "so   
Ayeka's a ninja. And she's testing you. It's no big deal. I'm sure things will blow   
over soon, and things will be back to normal."  
  
As Tenchi stepped through the door, a thin wire snapped at the pressure of his  
foot. A loud click came from one side and Tenchi turned to see a large and very sharp  
pendulum swinging towards him.  
  
Tenchi threw his hands up, closed his eyes, and prepared for oblivion.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
Slowly Tenchi opened his eyes, to see the pendulum stopped half an inch from   
his nose. Impaled on the razor sharp edge was a note written in eloquent hand. It  
read:  
  
Dear Lord Tenchi,  
You're dead.  
Lovingly and forever yours,  
First Crown Jurain Princess, Ayeka Jurai  
P.S. Just because there is nobody around does not mean there is no danger.  
A true warrior must always be ready for a trap and ready with a trap.  
  
Tenchi sighed. Maybe things wouldn't be back to normal so soon after all.  
  
  
  
Tenchi groaned as he walked through the fields. He began to reach down for  
his hoe, when he stopped. He wasn't going to walk into another trap. He stood up and  
casually glanced around. There wasn't many places where Ayeka could hide, and once he  
was sure that she wasn't around, he bent over to examine the hoe carefully.  
  
And froze.  
  
Curled next to it was a very alert and very dangerous looking snake. It's long  
green body, marked with black swirls, unraveled as it rose to Tenchi's eye level. It   
locked eyes with Tenchi and rocked back and forth, waiting to strike.  
  
Ten minutes passed until Ayeka walked up next to Tenchi.  
  
"Ayeka." He said through clentched teeth. "Be careful. THere's a snake."  
  
"This guy?" Ayeka said, pointing to the snake. At her sudden movement, the  
snake flared into life and launched itself...  
  
In the other direction. Tenchi unfroze himself and sagged in relief.  
  
"Juraian Swampcrawler." Ayeka said. "It's venom is rather harmless. It's just  
a big bluffer and an even bigger coward. It mimics the coloring of a fiercer snake."  
  
"What snake is that?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"This one." Ayeka said as a slightly larger snake with similar, yet different,   
markings slithered out from Ayeka's robe sleeve. It climbed up her arm and wrapped   
itself defensively around Ayeka's neck, gazing defiantly at Tenchi with it's three   
eyes. "The Juraian Deathgaze. It's poison kills instantly, and leaves no trace of   
itself. The snake is a useful tool in a ninja's arsonal, as it is a proactive trap,   
whereas all others are reactive traps." Ayeka clicked and the snake slid down her neck   
and under the collar of her robe. In a moment it was undetectable under her heavy   
outfit. "I'll let you get back to your chores."  
  
Ayeka's hand shot out of her robe and a small metal object flew past Tenchi's   
ear. Tenchi glanced over to see a throwing star imbedded in a tree just off the field.   
When he looked back, Ayeka was gone.  
  
  
  
Tenchi plowed the field with a passion, trying to focus his entire mind on the  
mind-numbing task. He tried not to think about Ayeka. He tried not to think about her  
being a ninja. He tried not to think of her being able to kill him, Ryoko, or anybody  
else in a blink of an eye. He tried not to think about how she had concealed this   
aspect of herself for so long.  
  
He tried not to think of where that snake was, coiled tightly around Ayeka's   
soft, sensative, firm-  
  
Tenchi redoubled his efforts.  
  
  
  
  
Tenchi smiled and looked over his work. The entire field was neatly prepared,   
and in record time too. He turned to leave when he felt a prick at the back of the   
neck. He tried to turn around to face his attacker.  
  
But found he couldn't move.  
  
Ayeka walked onto the field, dressed in a skin tight black outfit which, while   
lacking true ninja authenticity, did ressemble the revealing outfits worn by kunoichi   
in some of Tenchi's fighting games. She walked softly and seductively up to Tenchi.  
  
"Tenchi." She said as she kissed his ear. "You are mine."  
  
  
  
Tenchi awoke with a start. He was lying on the field, which was less than a   
third finished and very poorly done so far. He had passed out from exhaustion.  
"Then...then that was just a dream." He said, sweat beading on his head. He   
wasn't sure which worried him more. The fear that she could do that, the fear that she   
would do that, or the fear that he *wanted* her to do that.  
  
Tenchi lay in the soft dirt for a long time, wondering what he was going to do,   
and why his life had to become so complicated...again.  
  
  
  
Tenchi walked home slowly. Every bird call sent him jumping, every snapped   
branch swung his head to one side or the other. He strained his eyes peering into   
every tree, knowing that Ayeka could be in anyone of them.  
  
Somehow, Tenchi made it home without suffering an ulcer.  
  
  
  
He entered the house to find Mihoshi and Ryoko watching TV. Dimly, he could   
hear Ayeka and Sasami talking over running water, which meant they were doing the   
dishes.  
  
"Hi Tenchi!" Mihoshi said cheerfully. "We've been worried about you. What   
took you so long?"  
  
"Yeah." Ryoko grinned. "Did Ayeka jump you with her ninja-skills?" She burst   
out laughing.  
  
"Shhh!" Tenchi whispered franticaly.  
  
"Ninja skills?" Mihoshi asked curiously.  
  
"Oh yeah, didn't you hear? Our uptight princess is actualy the world's  
scariest ninja." Ryoko accented this point by going into a bunch of fake martial arts   
poses.  
  
"Ryoko, I'm serious. Wait a minute! I have proof." Tenchi searched around in   
his pockets. "It was here. The ninja star she threw at me."  
  
"Oh come on. A ninja star? Couldn't you go for something more original?"  
  
"I'm serious, it was right here."  
  
"What's going on in here?" Ayeka said curiously.  
  
"Ayeka, are you a ninja?" Mihoshi asked brightly.  
  
"What- Not this again."  
  
"Well, I only ask because Ryoko said you were."  
  
"Honestly do I look like the type that would go sulking about in the dark?"  
  
"Well, I guess not. Gee, Ryoko. I think you're mistaken about Ayeka."  
  
"If you're going to slander me, demon, then at least try something plausible."  
  
"Hey, take it up with your pal Tenchi, Kunoichi-sama. I'm going to bed."  
  
Ryoko floated up and phased through the ceiling. Mihoshi yawned and walked up   
the stairs. Tenchi was still searching his pockets.  
  
"Looking for this?" Ayeka smiled sweetly as she held out a throwing star.  
  
Tenchi sighed in defeat.  
  
  
  
Late in the night, Ryoko was up to her usual tricks. Ayeka's ward prevented  
her from going through the walls, but the floor was still fair game.  
  
Ryoko didn't notice the sand crunching softly under her feet. But somebody  
else did.  
  
"Ryoko." Tenchi said flatly.  
  
"Huh? T-T-Tenchi...you're awake." Ryoko laughed nervously.  
  
"Get out of my room!" He yelled. Ryoko gulped and quickly dropped through  
the floor.  
  
"Very impressive." Another voice said. "The sand is hard to notice, but  
makes an audible noise when stepped on. You've obviously taught yourself to sleep   
lightly. However, since you're door is warded, the can alarms there aren't necessary."  
  
"I guess you're right. To be honest, I set the trap to try to catch Ayeka,  
but catching Ryoko is also...huh?"  
  
Tenchi spun around to see Ayeka standing right behind him. Dressed in full  
kunoichi uniform, she nearly completely blended into the shadows. Her eyes lit up  
like the eyes of a cat; two pink disks in a room of blacks and blues.  
  
Tenchi responded by screaming and crashing through his door. Ryoko was  
back in an instant.  
  
"What's wrong Tenchi?!" Ryoko asked worriedly.  
  
"Ayeka! She's in there, dressed up like a ninja."  
  
"Not this again." Ryoko sighed. "Look, you're joke failed. Can't you just  
let it rest?"  
  
"I'm serious!"  
  
"Alright." Ryoko rolled her eyes as she leaned in through Tenchi's broken   
door. A small breeze from the window stirred some papers, but other than that,  
nothing was in there.  
  
"She's in there! She's hiding in the shadows, or breathing through a reed,   
or something!"  
  
"Who is?" A soft voice said from behind them. Ryoko and Ayeka turned to see  
Ayeka standing in the hall, dressed in her nightrobe, her hair pulled back into the  
soft cloth she wore at night.  
  
"Why don't you tell us?" Ryoko laughed. "You're the expert in intelligence  
gathering, right?"  
  
"Well, Ryu-oh does tap into the Juraian Interspace hotline but..." Ayeka's   
expression suddenly fell. "Oh, it's the ninja thing again. Honestly Tenchi, you must  
have gotten heat stroke or something. Why don't you go to bed? You'll feel better in   
the morning."  
  
"If you want. I can keep you company." Ryoko purred.  
  
Ayeka turned red, walked up to Ryoko and stared her in the eye. "He needs his  
rest, demon. You get back downstairs. Don't make me post watch."  
  
"Alright I'm going." Ryoko grumbled as she walked down the stairs.  
  
Ayeka "Hmphed!" before storming back to her room.  
  
Tenchi was about to go back to his room when he paused. Ryoko, who was still  
walking down the stairs, had a thin red cut across the back of her neck, so light that  
Ryoko didn't even feel it. Tenchi hadn't even seen Ayeka touch her.  
  
"Kami-sama." He whispered.  
  
  
  
"Really, Tenchi. That was a horrible way to handle the situation." Ayeka said   
as she appeared once again in Tenchi's window. Tenchi still jumped back in alarm, but   
this time didn't bother raising alarm.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Tenchi whispered.  
  
"Practice, of course." Ayeka smiled.  
  
Tenchi rolled his eyes, which then fell onto his exacto-knife, lying next to his   
bed. It's case was on, so he didn't need to worry about hurting anybody. Maybe two could  
play at this game.  
  
"Well, as long as I have you here alone." Tenchi smiled. As he did, he casually,  
slipped the knife into his hand.  
  
"Huh?" Ayeka blinked.  
  
"Well, there are always other people around. I feel like we never get any time  
together anymore."  
  
"Tenchi, I..."  
  
"Shh, Ayeka. Don't say anything. Let's just-"  
  
"Ki-Yah!"  
  
Tenchi found himself on the floor, his exacto-knife pressed against his throat.  
  
"In order to trick somebody, you must give them an inperceivable imitation of what  
they think is reality. Giving them what they want only works on fools."  
  
Tenchi groggily sat up.  
  
"It's a pity too." Ayeka said darkly. "You had no idea how much I hoped there was  
nothing in your hand."  
  
"Wait, Ayeka, I-"  
  
But Ayeka was already out the window. She leapt, towards the tree, floating like  
she was nothing more than a cloud. When she reached the tree, she kicked off it, and  
floated/jumped back towards her own window.  
  
Tenchi sighed. Everytime he thought things couldn't get more complicated, they did.  
  
And he still couldn't get that snake out of his head.  
  
  
  
After a rather fitful night, Tenchi awoke. Something was off. Cautiously, he   
glanced around his room, his back tense, ready to move. The window was fine, a gentle  
breeze flowing through it. The door was also fine.  
  
That was it. The door shouldn't be fine. He crashed through it yesterday. Unless...  
  
Tenchi looked some more. There were no can wires, and his floor was clean of sand.  
  
"It was all a dream." Tenchi laughed. He felt a great weight lifted off his   
shoulders. Sure, the psychological ramifications of his subconscious desires revealed  
would probably require immense psychological help, but at least he didn't need to worry   
about Ayeka jumping him anymore.  
  
As he started down the stairs, he froze. Sweating, he looked back.  
  
There, next to his door, a large green snake with black swirls on it's back slept.  
It woke up and raised itself to look at Tenchi with it's three eyes.  
  
The snake winked. 


End file.
